An inspiring exhibition presenting the collection Azzedine Alaïa began in 1968 when the Balenciaga fashion house closed. Acquiring haute couture designs, he studied the cut of his predecessors’ models. He thus began a collection of over 20,000 pieces ranging from the birth of haute couture to its contemporaries. This collection remained a secret during his lifetime.

Alaïa also assembled an ensemble of models from American designers who are little represented in the history of fashion: Mc Cardell and Adrian in particular. This is an original approach compared to the usual Parisian fashion exhibitions.

Until January 21, 2024

https://www.palaisgalliera.paris.fr/

L’article Azzedine Alaïa, couturier and collector est apparu en premier sur Marion de Castilla.

A dynamic and instructive exhibition. With the evolution of clothing dedicated to physical activity, we discover the beginnings and advent of sporting disciplines over several centuries: the various outdoor activities and the arrival of the first Olympic Games, then the shift from specific sportswear to ‘sportswear everywere’… even on the Haute Couture catwalks.

It’s surprising to discover ‘sports corsets’ that offer a more ergonomic and flexible structure for physical activity, while retaining their sheathing function. Nineteenth-century women’s tennis outfits, with their multiple underskirts and ruffles in woven fabric, also seem rather unsuited to movement.

The mix and representation of women in the various disciplines over the centuries is highly appreciable.

Finally, a particular highlight is the series of swimwear for the sea: knitted from thick woolen jerseys, their coverage varies over time.

Until April 7, 2024

https://madparis.fr/

L’article Mode et sport, d’un podium à l’autre – Musée des Arts Décoratifs est apparu en premier sur Marion de Castilla.

After a meeting between the creations of Balenciaga and Alaïa, the Fondation Azzedine Alaïa now showcases the couturier’s work side by side with that of Madame Grès. These two couturier-sculptors of fabric are virtuosos in the creation of volumes.

Azzedine Alaïa and Madame Grès had in common their work on bias and the creation of pleats. Applying these techniques to model volumes, they create pleats and designs that are intimately linked to the garment’s structure. The skillful constructions lead to silhouettes of apparent sobriety, but with magnificent effects of movement.

The sixty or so models by Madame Grès presented in this exhibition are part of Azzedine Alaïa’s collection of over 20,000 pieces by previous couturiers. A parallel exhibition dedicated to Azzedine Alaïa’s collection is on show at the Palais Galliera.

Until February 11, 2024

https://fondationazzedinealaia.org

L’article Alaïa / Grès. Beyond fashion – Fondation Azzedine Alaïa est apparu en premier sur Marion de Castilla.

The artistic direction of a brand is the aesthetic orientation that its founder wishes to take. It includes all the choices that concern the taste, values and atmosphere that make a project unique. This subtle and personal recipe guides product design, communication and the creative steps that lead the development of a project.

A brand creation usually starts with a fresh idea that is a driving force to get started. Once the project is launched, it is common to find there are many areas where decisions need to be made. Creative spirit and appreciation are required. Being a good art director is not easy because it needs to be open to multiple possibilities and make quick and consistent decisions.

Only a matter of aesthetics?

It doesn’t seem obvious to work in art direction. It is often imagined that this field is strictly individual and subjective, linked to intuition. However, when working on the artistic direction of a brand, it is not a matter of discussing tastes and colors, criticizing them or changing them. Rather, it is about enriching it. Creativity and taste can be stretched, refined and diversified. Just as we educate the mouth to the flavors of food, we can work on the artistic orientation of our project.

How does this approach differ from a marketing study, a customer need or a trend analysis? The principle is to be inspired and to look around with curiosity; but then to come back to oneself, to one’s ideas and intuition. And then to the foundations of one’s brand by using a methodology. This allows to remain autonomous in one’s decision making and to remain original in one’s vision.

Methods to work better with partners

When we are not trained, it can be difficult to determine what we want and to put it into practice. It can also be difficult to communicate a mindset to a collaborator or a service provider. If we get used to work on this with situational exercises, we can acquire more ease in having personal ideas and communicating them, or in giving feedback on proposals made to us. This way one gains autonomy and can try to make one’s project as original, coherent and creative as possible.

The fashion world is very competitive. Having solid foundations for a brand allows to keep a course in its artistic orientation. The exercises proposed in the training I provide allow to appropriate its aesthetic to better combine and apply it in the desired areas.

› Working on your artistic direction with training or consulting services

L’article What is the art direction of a brand? est apparu en premier sur Marion de Castilla.

Mood boards give the precise tone and act as a jumping point for the processes used to create a collection from scratch: selection of color ranges, clothing lines, print creations, accessories, communication, photo shoots… Awaken creativity, strengthen perspectives, and guide a collection by putting imagination, desires and inspirations to paper. A delicate, minimalist atmosphere or an exuberant, colorful one?

The research of inspirational images allows to refine the design and finishing ideas; then numerous sketches are realized to mix the influences, to give a unique identity to the model, to have an exclusive design. At the same time, the search for the fabrics materializes the collection; the sourcing allows to meet the fabric suppliers and manufacturers who will produce the clothes.

Once the models are determined, they are displayed in the form of a collection plan to have a clear overview of the whole. The technical files enable us to present the details of each piece to clear overview of the whole. The technical files enable us to present the details of each piece to the parties involved: pattern maker, independent technical office, manufacturer…

Design and launch of the collection done, it remains the tracking of the collection with the fitting of the first prototype to make sure of the garment’s well-being. After the first feedback, several prototypes are made in linen and then in the definitive material. At the same time, color and pattern samples are approved.

› Work together on your collection

L’article Creation of a collection est apparu en premier sur Marion de Castilla.

Uzbekistan is located at the crossroads of civilizations, between India, Persia and China. Various religions and practices have existed side by side and influenced the handicrafts: Muslims and Zoroastrians in particular. The cities of Samarkand and Bukhara are on the route of the legendary “Silk Roads”.

The geography of the country has influenced the production of raw materials used in textile crafts. The oases are areas of cotton and silk culture. The steppes and mountainous regions provide an abundance of wool products. Thus, the art of weaving, felting and gold embroidery of a very high technicality were developed.

The textile pieces displayed in this exhibition date mainly from the 19th and 20th centuries. The embroidery techniques are very visible on chapans (men’s coats) and skullcaps (hats), but also on women’s clothing, carpets called ‘suzanis’, equipment for horses or children’s clothing.

Until June 4, 2023

www.imarabe.org

L’article On the roads to Samarkand. Wonders of Silk and Gold – Institut du Monde Arabe est apparu en premier sur Marion de Castilla.

The name ‘Black Indians’ represents the slave populations from Africa that were settled in New Orleans. They were supported by the Native Americans, who were also treated as slaves. In the 18th century, these two communities came together and shared their cultures in dance and music.

In the 19th century, African Americans decided to create and wear costumes for the Mardi Gras parade as a testament to their ties to Native Americans. They used Native American motifs and techniques: beadwork, feathers, buffalo symbols…

The creation of these grandiose costumes is an act of resilience in the face of the violence of slavery suffered for several centuries and the current consequences of racism. Even today, the costumes reflect a link with African origins, Native American cultures and voodoo culture.

Until January 15, 2023

https://m.quaibranly.fr

L’article Black Indians from New Orleans – Musée du Quai Branly est apparu en premier sur Marion de Castilla.

The opening of the Galerie Dior reveals the place where the adventure of the Maison Dior began on Avenue Montaigne in the immediate post-World War II era. While raw material restrictions are due to post-war rationing, Christian Dior arrives with structured models and generous lengths of fabric. With a sharp waist, rounded shoulders and widened hips, the Dior silhouette was quickly designed for the decades to come. Its audacity is rewarded by an immediate success and earns it the famous name of ‘New Look’.

Christian Dior’s inspirations are closely linked to his childhood and family life. His roots are in Granville and in southeastern France, where he learned many things about botany and flower species. Before creating his house, he opened an art gallery in Paris where he presented works of contemporary artists; he had strong connections with the artistic scene of the 1930s. Christian Dior then began training as a pattern maker, working for Robert Piguet and Lucien Lelong during the war.

For ten years, his work is intense in creativity but also as a businessman. He quickly developed international trade, so much so that in the 1950s the House of Dior became the second largest French exporter. Christian Dior died prematurely, leaving clear lines and a DNA that will be taken up by the designers in the following decades.

The Dior atmosphere is successively reworked by Yves Saint-Laurent, Marc Bohan, Gianfranco Ferré, John Galliano, Raf Simons and Maria Grazia Chiuri. The exhibition highlights the parallel between the work of the designer and his successors. All the collections are presented as those of a single house around the themes that are dear to him: flowers mainly, the work of the cut inspired by the New-look, the Dior look and the colorful atmosphere.

Permanent exhibition

https://www.galeriedior.com

L’article La Galerie Dior est apparu en premier sur Marion de Castilla.

The spirit of Elsa Schiaparelli’s creation and originality is captured here. The designer has developed a very personal identity strongly inspired by the symbolism and fantasy world. Mythology, Italian antiquity, nature and music are her inspirational influences.

These themes become the patterns for jewelry, buttons, prints and embroideries that take place on the garments of her collections. Mystery and dreams border on the absurd and the strange; they are mixed with bright colors and playful patterns.

Elsa Schiaparelli has strong ties with contemporary artists of the Surrealist movement. Meret Oppenheim designed a fur bracelet for her, which later inspired the famous tea cup. She designed embroideries based on Jean Cocteau’s drawings, and prints created with Salvador Dali, thus demonstrating great creative freedom and avant-gardism.

Created in 1927, the House of Schiaparelli is closed between 1954 and 2012. In 2019, Daniel Roseberry takes over the artistic direction of the collections. His creations are presented throughout the exhibition, mirroring those of the fashion designer from whom they were inspired.

Until January 22, 2023

https://madparis.fr/

L’article Shocking ! Les mondes surréalistes d’Elsa Schiaparelli – Musée des Arts décoratifs est apparu en premier sur Marion de Castilla.

Following the launch of ready-to-wear clothing in the 1950s, the Prisunic chain was inspired by American marketing methods. They took on the challenge of selling collections of goods and apparel in the world of supermarkets. The clothes are displayed in the rows parallel to the fruit and vegetables. “Beauty at the price of ugliness” became the official slogan of the 1960s.

Pop culture, 60’s and 70’s designs and bright coloramas are within reach of the shopping cart. Throughout the following decades, and especially after the merger with Monoprix in the 90s, collaborations were created with contemporary designers: Terence Conran, Marc Held, India Mahdavi, Constance Guisset or Ionna Vautrin and stylists such as Anne-Valérie Hash, Hussein Chalayan or Maison Château Rouge.

The democratization of fashion and style, bringing consumers closer to the world of designers, found an echo in the 2000s with the development of fast-fashion brands. Pioneers in this approach, they maintain today the dynamics of collaborations with designers.

Until May 15, 2022

https://madparis.fr/

L’article Le design pour tous – De Prisunic à Monoprix, une aventure française – Musée des Arts décoratifs est apparu en premier sur Marion de Castilla.